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| Submitted Photo/Lisa Wilcox Roostook County Car Club president Marcel Bosse works on a remote control vehicle at his workbench at the club’s racetrack located in the Applied Technology Center on Loring Commerce Centre in Limestone. |
By Lisa Wilcox
Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — Do you enjoy operating a vehicle at a high rate of speed? Love the thrill of competition? Looking for a winter sport to participate in that combines the two, but doesn’t involve the threat of frostbite or wearing so many layers of clothing it’s impossible to put your arms at your side?
If so, remote control vehicle racing just might be for you.
Remote control vehicle technology has advanced a great deal over the years, increasing the popularity of racing the vehicles and making it a more competitive sport. Locally, Roostook County Car Club has been in existence for approximately 25 years. The club currently has a track set up at a rented space inside the Applied Technology Center located on Loring Commerce Centre in Limestone.
Founded in Caribou, RCCC’s track was previously set up for several years at the old Memento’s store in the strip mall on Sweden St.
With approximately 18 to 20 members located from Monticello to Madawaska, RCCC’s track is used to practice driving maneuvers, and the club holds an actual race every other week. Racers compete against each other to accumulate points for the season championship. RCCC member Jesse Michaud set up the track and runs the computerized scoring system that records speeds and victories.
The season begins in mid-October and runs through mid-May with different divisions and classes of vehicles, including off-road, on-road and oval classes, which are stock cars that race in a circle the same way a NASCAR race is run. RCCC’s track can accommodate all classes.
Anyone interested in racing can expect to invest around $300 to get a vehicle race-ready. It’s possible to spend thousands of dollars, depending on how many vehicles one owns or how in-depth they get with parts and technology.
“It’s like owning an actual car,” Marcel Bosse, RCCC’s president, says about maintaining RC vehicles.
Bosse has been the club’s president for 20 years. Always a great NASCAR fan, Bosse came to the realization that he would never be able to afford an actual racecar. When knee surgery several years ago put him out of work temporarily, Bosse began tinkering with the hobby out of boredom and has been hooked since.
“I love the competition of racing,” Bosse added.
Club members’ ages range from 5 to 65, and RCCC is always looking for new members. Some of the club’s members travel and compete with their vehicles in other parts of the country; Bosse even traveled to England in 2010 for an RC world event under the sponsorship of Rocket RC, a manufacturer of remote control vehicle tires.
The club also periodically puts on demonstrations at places like the Aroostook Centre Mall and other spots throughout the state. And they have set up at schools and at meetings such as the Boy Scouts, showcasing the hobby as an alternative to television. Bosse says the club is always happy to do this for anyone who is interested. RCCC also hopes to participate in an upcoming race in Augusta and would like to hold an event at their track on New Year’s Eve.
While RCCC is non-profit, the club does charge fees to meet operating expenses. An annual family membership costs $18, or $15 for an individual. A $7 per-vehicle fee is charged at each race to register, or racers can register an unlimited number of vehicles for $20.
Anyone interested in getting involved in RC racing, or wishing to join RCCC, is welcome to visit a race at any time. All races are held every other Sunday. The club’s next race will be held on Dec. 2 with the off-road class beginning at 11 a.m. and races for on-road at 1 p.m. Oval racing starts around 2 p.m. and continues until all races are complete.
For more information, contact Bosse at 492-4322, or e-mail radiodriver77@yahoo.com. RCCC also can be found on Facebook.
